The Mailbox in the Attic
by Cosmic Wish
Summary: [Christmas One-Shot/Timeskip Fanfic] 10 years have passed since Noelani and Miguel were invited to spend the holidays in the Coutinhos' country estate with their 2 children. After volunteering to clean the attic, the couple discovers something that was there for more than 2 decades. Why there's a mailbox inside the attic? Rated K just to be safe.


**[24 Years Ago: Noelani's Point of View]**

 _I looked down on the piece of paper that was in front of me. My sisters and I were writing our letters to Santa Claus. Dad was going to send those letters to the North Pole. It was a part of the Coutinho Family tradition, and it was a sweet tradition I admit. Honestly, I think this is what we need after our parents' divorce and moving halfway across the ocean to Leiria. As I stared at the blank piece of paper, I thought about what I wanted for Christmas._

 _Out of my four sisters, I'm the one who doesn't know what I want for Christmas at this point. This year was different because I knew what I wanted for Christmas. I saw something that caught my attention at a birthday party last week. From there, I began to write down my letter to Santa Claus. Towards the left, a familiar pair of dark brown eyes peeked at my writing._

 _"What are you going ask Santa for Christmas, Noelani?" pestered Kiele._

 _I jokingly said, "If you keep on asking me that same question, you won't get any gifts from Santa this year."_

 _Kiele kept quiet and looked away from my letter. She continued with writing her letter. Now I get why dad loves saying to us every year. I folded it, and I placed my note to Santa inside the envelope dad gave us. Then I licked the back of the envelope and closed that part off. The last part was to write our names on the envelope and also Santa's name on it._

 _It was all done. I managed to finish my letter to Santa before my other sisters could finish theirs. We have to wait in two weeks to see what will Santa give all of us. Dad said that we need to have a lot of patience and also be on our best behavior. If we don't either, the only thing we could see in our stockings are lumps of dirty coal. My sisters and I didn't want to see that in our stockings on Christmas Day._

* * *

"When will we able to see Grandpa and Grandma?" asked the young girl.

An older woman replied, "We're almost there Xio."

A young strawberry blonde haired girl pressed her face against the black tinted car windows. Her dark brown eyes stared intently at an endless trail of grape vineyards. Sitting right next to her was a light brown haired toddler. The younger child held on his orange sippy cup while sleeping in his car seat. An older woman around her early 30s glanced towards the back of the car. Her 5 year old daughter was amazed by the vineyards while her 2 year old son was taking a nap. Who wouldn't be after all that driving and flying during the past two days?

"It's been nine years since the last time your parents invited us to spend the holidays with them Noelani," he said to the older woman.

Noelani replied, "I know Miguel, and that was how our most recent family tradition was born. We would choose who will host the next holiday dinners and travel to wherever we were going to celebrate the holidays those years."

This year it was going to be at her family's country estate in Leiria after such a long time. After the first time, Oliver and Natália had hosted the most holiday dinners, and that was three of them. Johnny and Samantha and Miguel and herself hosted two of those holiday dinners each. Only Séraphin and Kiele have hosted a single holiday dinner. What made it even more special was that it was going to be their children's first time at their grandparents' house. It was going to be crazy having 3 toddlers and 2 school-aged kid running around the house.

Xiomara, Miguel and Noelani's daughter noticed the enormous dark orange and cream colored mansionlike house. Her dark brown eyes gleamed up, and a smile formed on her face. The 4 year old knew where she was, and she couldn't wait to see her grandparents. Miguel stopped the car a few feet away from the house. He noticed the waitstaff that was waiting towards the right side of the vehicle.

Noelani unbuckled her seat while her husband does the same thing. The 32 year old mother of two opened the passenger seat door of their luxury SUV and closed the door. She walked towards the same side of the vehicle and opened the other door. Their 2 year old son Ikaia was still sound asleep in his car seat. Noelani unbuckled his car seat and carried the sleepy boy in her arms. She walked towards the mansion. Xiomara walked right by her mother while her father was helping the waitstaff with their luggage.

Noelani rang the doorbell and waited in front of the dark wood door. She waited outside with her two young children to see who was going to open the door. Minutes later, an older woman in late 50s opened the door for the 32 year old. She had on a saffron-colored worn out long sleeved blouse with a pair of blue denim jeans and gray sneakers. The woman had her black hair tied in a simple bun.

"Noelani! I'm glad that you could make it!" exclaimed the older woman.

Noelani replied, "It's nice seeing you again mother."

"Do you want me to take Ikaia to your old bedroom?" asked her mother.

She responded, "Sure thing. Miguel can set up his travel crib in my old room since Ikaia still sleeps in one."

Narcisa smiled as she guided her daughter and her grandchildren into the room. The waitstaff and Miguel came in a few minutes afterward. She was able to put her son to sleep in his crib and settle into the mansion in about 45 minutes. Noelani was able to change into some fresh but worn out clothes. Her mother decided to spend time with Xiomara and give her a friendly tour of the estate. She and Miguel decided to help out by going into the attic and do a major clean up.

Miguel looked over at the old stuff that his in-laws and his wife had there. It was the first time he ever went up to the attic and clean up there. Like any other unclean attic, there was a lot of dust and cobwebs. Even Noelani was surprised to see how dirty this part of the house was. The 32 year old father of two walked around the place to see where the other Christmas decorations were. His wife began dusting off and cleaning a part of the attic.

"How are you doing there Miguel?" asked Noelani.

Miguel replied, "I think I found the box that your mom was looking for Noelani."

Noelani placed the feather duster and rag on the now clean table. She approached her husband and saw a fancy large red wooden mailbox in front of her. It looked familiar to the 32 year old woman, and her husband wondered what it was. She carried the fake mailbox out and put it in front of her. It felt kind of heavy, and Noelani wanted to know what was in it.

Her dark brown eyes noticed a green envelope sticking out of the wooden mailbox. She pulled it out from its original spot, and the couple stared at it. Noelani recognized the elegant and intricate handwriting style.

"It's the letter that I wrote to Santa 24 years ago," said Noelani.

Miguel stated, "If that letter was sticking out, there must be more of these letters from Santa Claus in this mailbox."

A smile formed on Noelani's face. Seeing this letter from Santa that she wrote 24 years ago brought back a lot good memories. She and her sisters always wrote them and asked Santa what they wanted for Christmas. It was one of the few Christmas traditions that her family had. The last time they wrote letters was when Samantha and Kiele turned 10. They haven't written any letters to Santa since then.

The letter Noelani had in her hand was one of her favorite letters she wrote to the jolly old fat man in a red suit. It was the letter that began her brand new journey.

"Aren't you two lovebirds supposed to be cleaning the attic?" asked a second female voice.

Noelani and Miguel watched as another couple walked up those attic stairs. Samantha watched as her older sister and her husband looking at a wooden mailbox in front of them. Johnny followed from behind to see his wife with his sister-in-law and her husband.

Noelani asked, "How long have you been in the house, Samantha?"

"Not long. Mom decided to stay with the girls and your two kids while I help you clean the attic," replied Samantha.

Johnny disputed, "Then why you bring me here then?"

"You can help Miguel and bring down the rest of the Christmas decorations," said the 30 year old woman.

It only took the couples about two hours to finish with the attic. Miguel and Johnny were able to find the missing Christmas decorations before leaving the rest to their wives. Noelani and Samantha cleaned every bit of the attic. There wasn't any dust and cobwebs in sight. They were able to leave the attic until the 32 year old noticed the fake mailbox with those letters to Santa.

Even though it has been decades since she and her sisters have seen those letters. They weren't sure what they wrote to Santa over the years. But Noelani realized that their children were close to the age when they should be attempting to write something. Xiomara and her 4 year old nephew Armand were good with their writing. Her son Ikaia and Samantha's daughters Keitha and Pilar aren't too familiar with Santa.

"What are you think Noelani?" wondered Samantha.

Noelani replied, "I think we should read these letters when the children are in bed over some drinks."

"It's been a long time since we have seen these letters. Plus I don't think that dad would be mad that we found those letters to Santa," the 30 year old woman.

It was their dad that made them write those letters to Santa. They already knew that he would keep those letters in a safe place. The two sisters lifted the large mailbox down the stairs. It didn't weigh that much, so it made the sisters' job simpler for them. Once they managed to leave the attic, an older man around his early 60s watched the two woman with the red wooden mailbox. Noelani and Samantha looked at each for a moment before shifting their heads back in place.

The older man saw his two daughters bringing over a familiar wooden mailbox. His dark brown eyes widen, and his mouth gaped a bit. He was in a pure state of shock once he saw the mailbox in the women's possession.

"I thought that damn thing in the closet with the other Christmas stuff," said the 62 year old man.

Noelani responded, "Dad, I saw it up in the attic next to the other Christmas decorations. So Samantha and I brought it downstairs."

"I forgot that I moved some those Christmas decorations and the mailbox up in the attic not long ago," their dad answered, "you can open those letters if you want to but not in front of the grandkids."

Both women laughed at their father's comment. They weren't planning to read any those letters in front of the kids. Noelani knew that her daughter still believes in Santa and she didn't want any questions about the letters. Ikaia wouldn't care much, which was good her and Miguel. She could imagine a similar scenario with between Natália and Oliver and their 4 year old son Armand. Samantha wasn't sure how her daughters Keitha and Pilar would react to any of this.

With five young children in the mansion, it would be nice to restart this old Coutinho Family tradition. They could help them write letters to Santa Claus while they'll to go back to "believing" in Santa again. At least Kiele and Séraphin don't have to any of this for now. Once their little girl is born, they'll try to find a way to give them the Santa Claus talk soon. But at least their husbands could find out what they asked Santa for Christmas for when they were younger.

"I legit don't remember what I asked for Christmas all those years," said Samantha.

Noelani replied, "Neither do I expect for that beyblade that I got when I was 8. Because of that beyblade, that is why I wanted to be a beyblader."

"I almost forgot you got a beyblade for Christmas that year. I just asked for a sketchbook and fancy colored pencils that year," responded her younger sister.

Another female voice said, "All I remember was getting one of those new dolls that came out at that time."

"I got a beyblade too for Christmas since I also started to get interested in it when I was 8," stated the fourth voice.

Noelani and Samantha turned their head and bodies back to see who it was. It was their other sisters, Natalia and Kiele. Neither of them was surprised to see them coming here together. Both of them lived France, and they lived 30-45 minutes away from each other. Natália and Oliver live in Paris while Kiele and Séraphin live in Versailles. Unlike her three sisters, Noelani lives in New York City, and that's because of her job as an arts & entertainment editor of a growing pop culture magazine company.

It has been such a long time that the four of them stepped foot in this mansion. Ten years ago, Noelani and Natália were engaged to their husbands at that time. Samantha and Kiele were in the dating phase with their husbands ten years ago. A lot has changed since the four of them are married, and some of them have children as of now. At least they were able to spend the holidays together before going back home and resume to their everyday lives.

* * *

 **I can't believe it has been a year since I posted a Beyblade Story. I'm sorry if this story seemed to be more of an OC-focused story. It was the idea that I had in mind for my Christmas OneShot (plus I'm sorry posting this 3 days after Christmas). It's rare for me to do a time skip story without giving many developments in the pairings and also the children in the near future. But I wanted to do something like this with characters being a bit older and giving the story a more family feeling (if you understand). Here is one thing that I'm going clear up if you are confused:**

 _ **Even though I mentioned that the sisters' parents are divorced in flashback, I want to say that Akoni (despite not mentioning his name in the story) and Narcisa are still divorced. They aren't living together, but they both want to host holiday dinners together as a family without any tension.**_

 **So really hope that you enjoyed reading this story. So read and review :)**


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